


Patterns in the Sunlight

by NerdsLikeUs



Category: Stargate Atlantis
Genre: F/M, Other, can be read as romantic or friendship, goodbye scene, love these two, what are you supposed to put in tags?
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2015-12-25
Updated: 2015-12-25
Packaged: 2018-05-09 06:22:46
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 350
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/5529287
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/NerdsLikeUs/pseuds/NerdsLikeUs
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Elizabeth is gone and John needs to say goodbye. (Their story always felt kind of unfinished to me, so I wrote this. Inspired by the scene where Beckett says goodbye to Rodney.)</p>
            </blockquote>





	Patterns in the Sunlight

He walked up to her as she stood overlooking the city. Sunset over Atlantis was his favourite time of day; the light was yellow and made the city shine.  
“It’s so good to be home,” she said, leaning against the rail. She looked happy.  
He watched her for a moment, confused at first.  
“You went away,” he said, leaning next to her.  
“Yes.”  
“Is this real?”  
She smiled a sad smile and sighed. “No.”  
They were quiet, remembering.  
“You needed to say goodbye,” she said. “So here I am.”  
The light was growing dimmer and brighter at the same time, that special moment at the end of the day where the sun flares before it leaves.  
“It wasn’t fair,” he said. He felt anger, hurt, guilt, despair. Because she wasn’t real. She was dead. He had left her behind and now she wasn’t coming back.  
“‘Life isn’t fair, it’s just fairer than death,’” she quoted.  
“The Princess Bride,” he said. “You remembered.”  
“Yes.” She smiled, and not sadly this time.  
“Although,” he said “It doesn’t quite work in these circumstances.”  
“No,” she agreed “but it made you smile.”  
They were quiet for minutes more, as the sun lit the city and made the clouds glow.  
“I have to go soon,” she said.  
“Don’t,” he said. “We need you. This mission, the team, the city, we don’t work without you.”  
She didn’t smile. He could see she was sad to go, and he ached even more.  
“I’m sorry.”  
The sun was almost gone now, slipping fast below the horizon.  
“I love this city. I lived on Earth almost all my life, but this place, it was my home. It couldn’t have ended any other way.” She smiled again. “I loved all of you, too. The team. Teyla, Ronan, Ford, Beckett, you, even Rodney.”  
He smiled too now. “I miss you.”  
The sun disappeared below the horizon, leaving steaks of light behind.  
“Goodbye, John,” she said.  
“Goodbye,” he said.  
Then he opened his eyes, and she was gone. He was alone.  
He stayed for a while, watching her city fade into darkness. 

**Author's Note:**

> Title taken from the song 'Walking' by the Mae Trio. Both it and the characters do not belong to me. This is my first fic, so feedback is welcome but please try to not be too hard on me! :)


End file.
